Stench of negligence in Kolkatas' dead fish case

Three days after a large number of fish were found dead at Sadir Lake of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden at Shibpur, Howrah, garden authorities filed a complaint with the police against the company that has been disposing of its waste, blaming it for the catastrophe.

Authorities accused the state pollution control board for giving the factory permission to reopen, after it was closed for careless disposal of waste. “JD Jones Polyester Thread Company, on Danesh Sheikh Lane, has been disposing its waste inside the garden. It has contaminated the water of Sadir Lake, causing the death of the fish,” said the garden’s joint director HS Debnath.

“Earlier, in July 2011, I filed a complaint against the company to PCB, which closed the set up. However, astonishingly, PCB gave it permission to reopen. I have filed a complaint against this company and sent a letter to PCB also,” he added.

On March 29, hundreds of fish were found dead, floating on Sadir Lake. Morning walkers informed garden authorities who cleaned it up. The same happened on July 2010, when a huge quantity of fish was found rotting at Leram Lake in the Botanic Gardens. Negligence on the part of the authorities had been cited and environmentalists brought the matter to the notice of the court.